The topic of refugees is often misunderstood or misrepresented. Discussions frequently emphasize numbers and statistics, which can overshadow the human stories behind them. Continue reading to discover important facts and figures about refugees, along with the real stories of the people served by the IRC.

In 1991, Muyambo Marcel Chishimba was forced to flee his home in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Today, he is rebuilding his life—and his art career.

Fifteen-year-old Samir became separated from his family after his home in Aleppo was attacked. He tells the IRC about his journey to Jordan and his hope to be reunited with his parents.

Only days after Hurricane Katrina destroyed a swath of the Gulf Coast in August 2005, the International Rescue Committee dispatched an emergency team of relief experts to Louisiana. For the first time in its 73-year history, the organization responded to a humanitarian crisis in the United States. 

Breastfeeding is restoring hope and humanity in Michika, an area torn apart by conflict in northeast Nigeria.

Wahida made the perilous journey across the Mediterranean Sea with her two sons, to escape persecution. They are now living in Moria on the island of Lesvos. "I just want the best for my family”, she says.

These three stories show the devastating reality of people living in Niger.